Bearing (BRG): Bearing is the direction to a destination waypoint measured in degrees from North (i.e. 321°, where 000° is North, 090° East, 180° is South, 270° is West).
Chartplotter: Chartplotter describes a navigation device that shows Present Position on a Map, along with Tracks, Waypoints, and Routes. All Chartplotters are also considered Trackplotters. All Humminbird® GPS Combo units are Chartplotters. See Trackplotter.
Cold Start: Cold Start refers to the procedure that a GPS receiver must perform when it does not have historical information regarding its current location. This procedure typically lasts for several minutes, and may be experienced upon first power up of the receiver, or if the receiver has been moved a great distance.
Course Over Ground (COG): Course Over Ground is the current direction the boat is traveling measured in degrees from North (i.e. 321°, where 000° is North, 090° East, 180° is South, 270° is West). When the Course Over Ground is equal to Bearing, the boat is said to be “On Course” and will arrive at the destination in the most efficient manner. COG is often confused with Heading. See Heading.
Cross Track Error (XTE): Cross Track Error is the
Differential GPS (DGPS): Differential GPS is a system to improve the position accuracy of the Department of Defense GPS through the use of secondary “correction signals” broadcast from ground stations around the coastal United States and on some inland waterways. These correction signals are provided by the USCG and received by an auxiliary Differential Beacon Receiver (DBR) that connects to the GPS receiver. The advent of WAAS has largely negated the need for the added expense of a DBR in the United States.
Distance To Go: Distance To Go is the
Estimated Position Error (EPE): Estimated Position Error is a calculation that indicates the potential position inaccuracy the user may experience due to a variety of GPS factors which include satellite position in the sky, signal strength and others factors.